


moths in the lamplight

by orphan_account



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-08
Updated: 2013-06-08
Packaged: 2017-12-14 08:51:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/835013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jehan is determined that they will get an early night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	moths in the lamplight

Jehan yawned. It was barely nine o'clock in the evening, but Combeferre had stayed up late the night before and of course he hadn't been able to sleep without that comforting presence next to him. It was quite intolerable, really, how much Jehan had come to depend on bed sharing when only a few months beforehand he'd been able to sleep nearly anywhere - including, memorably, a park bench in the mid-afternoon (Combeferre had come to rescue him before it got dark, sighing when he saw Jehan had once again managed to gain a black eye. He enjoyed fighting a little too much for Combeferre's comfort.)

This evening, however, Jehan was determined that they would both get an early night. To this end, he had made the bed nicely, found the most soothing radio station possible on the rickety wireless he'd appropriated from a skip, and hidden all of Combeferre's spare glasses.

"Combeferre, the night grows ever nearer, and I fear you shall be swallowed if we do not retreat to safer ground." Jehan draped himself over the back of Combeferre's armchair, threadbare and only comfortable thanks to several cushions, and rested his chin on his hair.

The man in question smiled slightly and slid a bookmark into the sci-fi novel Grantaire had leant him. "I suppose if we are to be routed, we might as well have it occur in comfort."  
They tramped silently up the stairs, hands twined together. Once in the bedroom, Jehan insisted that Combeferre sit against the headboard, and Jehan himself laid across his lap, Combeferre's hand coming to rest naturally in Jehan's long hair.

“Is the book really so engrossing?” asked Jehan, as Combeferre opened the slim book once again, his glasses obstinately remaining on his nose. “I had hoped you might be tired anough for an early night.”

“It is intriguing – much more philosophy than I might have expected, but then it is one of R's recommendations. The man is more of a philosopher than Socrates, I swear.”  
Jehan smiled, and plucked the book from unready hands. “Well, I am sure whatever is so existential can wait until morning. The eternal dilemma of humanity is not going to become obsolete in the next, oh, 8 hours?”

Combeferre sighed, defeated but not unhappy, and reluctantly removed his gold framed glasses, setting them carefully on the side table.

“Now,” said Jehan, standing. “Lie down.”

“For what reason? I am perfectly comfortable sitting.”

Jehan shook his head. “Unacceptable. I plan to set you on an unavoidable path to Morpheus, and the only way to be certain, I have found, is to tuck in the voluntary abstainer – which in this case, mon coeur, is you.”

“You are incorrigible,” said Combeferre, but he did lie down, which Jehan counted as a victory. He moved forward quickly, folding the quilt expertly around the other man and then turning off the main light. The bedside lamp remained illuminated, casting a cosy shadow across the room. A moth fluttered in the light.

He pressed a soft kiss to Combeferre's forehead, smiling, and then slid into the other side of the bed. “Goodnight, Combeferre.”

A mumbled goodnight drifted across the bed, Combeferre clearly halfway to sleep already. He had evidently been more tired than he was willing to let on.

Jehan shook his head fondly, and switched off the lamp. The darkness, and the soft sound of breathing from Combeferre, quickly ushered him to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> written in about 10 minutes for an anon over on tumblr


End file.
